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A day in Honolulu

The Other Half and I recently celebrated our anniversary in Hawaii. As part of this trip, we had a one-day stopover in Honolulu so we could visit Pearl Harbor while we were in the state.

We arrived mid-morning and went out for brunch before walking around downtown Honolulu. After a bit of local wildlife-watching, we caught the bus to the west side of town to visit Pearl Harbor.

On December 7, 1941, the United States experienced a loss of life so horrific and unexpected that it precipitated the entry of the country into World War II. Over 3,500 people were killed or injured in the attack, and a staggering number of lives were irrevocably changed in the aftermath.

The memorial created at the site of the attack lies over the USS Arizona, which was scuttled and stays where she fell with most of her crew onboard. On arrival to Pearl Harbor, a limited number of people are ferried over to the USS Arizona, where they can spend time reflecting on the lives of the men below.

We spent most of the afternoon on the grounds of the National Monument before returning to Waikiki to walk around the area again. Unfortunately, the area had become extremely crowded, though we were able to find a good viewing spot for an evening hula demonstration by the beach.

It turns out the sunsets in Waikiki are as amazing as you’d expect- the initial sun sets below the horizon, on par with anything found on the mainland, but it flares up about 5 minutes later with brilliant pinks and oranges before fading to deep purple. It made it especially relaxing with traditional Hawaiian ballads playing in the background and the thought of a week on Kauai in our future.